FIG. 1 is a side view 100 of the prior art barbed plate 101. Barbs 102, 103 and 104 are shown protruding from plate 101. Barbs 102, 103 and 104 are formed by punching the plate with a die and then bending the barbs 102, 103 and 104 to protrude at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to the plate. FIG. 1A is a front side view 100A of the prior art barbed plate 101.
FIG. 2 is a view 200 of the rear face (inner side) of an ornamental piece 201 of wood employing the prior art barbed plate 101 affixed thereto with staples 204. Openings (unnumbered) are created by bending barbs 102, 103, and 104 upwardly and then the openings provide room for staples 204 to attach the barbed plates 101 to the ornamental piece of wood 201. Inner side 202 of the ornamental piece of wood 201 is affixed to a furniture substrate/upholstery as described hereinbelow.
FIG. 2A is an enlargement 200A of a portion of FIG. 2 illustrating staples 204 attaching the prior art barbed plate 101 to the rear face 202 of the ornamental piece of wood 201. FIG. 2B is a side view 200B of the prior art barbed plate 101 attached to the rear face 202 of the ornamental piece of wood 201. The outer side 203 of the wood is illustrated in FIG. 2B. Outer side 203 includes a decorative feature (not shown) to enhance the appearance of the furniture.
FIG. 2C is an enlargement 200C of a portion of FIG. 2B illustrating the prior art barbed plate 101 stapled 204 to the rear of the ornamental piece of wood 201.
FIG. 3 is an exploded side view 300 of the furniture arm rest and the ornamental wood piece 201 having the prior art barbed plates 101 affixed thereto. Reference numeral 301 is used to denote the top of the furniture arm. FIG. 3A is an enlarged portion 300A of FIG. 3 illustrating the upholstery 302 covering the furniture substrate 303. Substrate 303 forms the front face of the furniture arm.
FIG. 4 is a side view 400 of the furniture arm rest partially cut away illustrating the ornamental wood piece 201 attached to the furniture substrate 303 of the furniture arm rest using the prior art barbed plates 101. Upholstery 302 is interposed between the ornamental wood pieces 201 and the furniture substrate 303. In practice, a rubber mallet 402 is used to lightly hammer (urge) the ornamental piece of wood 201 into the furniture substrate 303 causing the barbs to pierce the upholstery 302 and interengage substrate 303. A rubber mallet does not destroy the ornamentation on the outer surface 203 of the ornamental piece of wood 201. FIG. 4A is an enlarged portion 400A of a portion of FIG. 4 illustrating one of the barbs 103 deformed and not fully engaging the wood substrate 303. FIG. 4B is a front end view 400B of the furniture arm of FIG. 4 illustrating misalignment of the ornamental piece of wood 201 using the prior art barbed plate to attach the ornamental piece to the substrate 103. Two problems exist using the prior art barbed plate. First, the barbs sometimes bend during insertion into the furniture substrate such that they do not properly secure the ornamental piece to the substrate as illustrated in FIG. 4A and the ornamental piece of wood may become loose or later pried off by children. Second, the ornamental piece of wood may not be aligned well as illustrated in FIG. 4B making the furniture unattractive.
FIG. 5 is an end view 500 of a prior art Christmas tree fastener which includes a flange 501, a first Christmas tree portion for engaging the ornamental piece of wood 502, and a second Christmas tree portion 503 for engaging the furniture substrate. FIG. 5A is a side view 500A of the prior art Christmas tree fastener of FIG. 5. Typically the prior art Christmas tree fastener is made of plastic.
FIG. 6 is a view 600 of the rear face 602 of an ornamental piece of wood 601 with the prior art Christmas tree fastener (501, 502, 503) of FIG. 5 inserted therein. Rear (inner) side 602 includes apertures 604, 605 for reception of the second Christmas tree portion 503 of the prior art Christmas tree fastener. FIG. 6A is a side view 600A of the ornamental piece of wood 601 with the prior art Christmas tree fastener of FIG. 5 inserted therein. Reference numeral 603 in this example of the prior art is used to denote the outside of the ornamental piece of wood.
FIG. 7 is an end view 700 of an arm rest illustrating two apertures 703, 704 therein for receiving the Christmas tree fasteners of FIG. 5. Reference numeral 701 signifies the top of the arm rest. Referring to FIGS. 7, 8 and 8A, a layer of upholstery 702 covers the arm rest. FIG. 8 is a side view 800 of an arm rest with an ornamental piece of wood 601 positioned for attachment to the furniture substrate 801 of the arm rest with the Christmas tree fasteners 503, 503 misaligned with respect to the apertures 703, 704 in which it fits. FIG. 8A is a front view 800A of the arm rest illustrating misalignment (in phantom) of the Christmas tree fastener 503 and the upper hole/aperture 703 in the arm rest. In this example of the prior art, the ornamental piece of wood 601 cannot be installed into the furniture substrate 801 due to the misalignment of the Christmas tree fastener 503 with respect to the upper hole/aperture 703. In this example of the prior art, the ornamental piece of wood 601 must be removed and a new aperture must be drilled in the ornamental piece of wood 601 and the Christmas tree fastener (501, 502, 503) must be removed and reinstalled. Further, it may be difficult to remove the Christmas tree fastener (501, 502, 503) from the ornamental piece of wood 601 because the first Christmas tree portion 502 is forcefully jammed into the aperture and it may break upon removal or attempted removal.